Singapore Management University (SMU) has formally launched SMU Indonesia as a subsidiary to help accelerate talent development and employability in the country in the AI era.
Lily Kong, president, Singapore Management University, said: “By working closely with government, industry and academic partners, we are not only responding to immediate human capital needs, but co-creating an ecosystem where talent can continuously adapt, move and thrive across borders. In doing so, we hope to contribute meaningfully to Indonesia’s ‘triple readiness’ agenda, supporting the development of a workforce across Indonesia that is technically proficient, digitally fluent and grounded in the human capabilities that will remain indispensable in an AI-driven world.”
SMU Indonesia
SMU Indonesia aims to scale collaborative programmes to connect education outcomes to real industry demand across both Indonesia and Singapore. The subsidiary also expands partnerships with government agencies and leading institutions, including Indonesia’s Ministries of Education and Manpower, Bank Indonesia, Universitas Indonesia, University of Gajah Mada and Institute of Technology Bandung.
SMU Indonesia’s applied model includes flagship initiatives such as:
- AI-inclusive workforce transformation: Programmes led by SMU’s Resilience and Workforce Transformation (ResWORK) initiative examine how AI disruption is reshaping youth employment and the demand for industry skills.
- Urban innovation capability building: Collaboration with Jakarta Smart City supports talent development in digital urban solutions and sustainable city planning.
- Industry-embedded learning: Partnerships with banking, energy, and natural resources sectors co-design curricula aligned with evolving job roles and leadership development.
- Bilateral talent mobility: Exchange and experiential learning programmes, including the Global Ready Talent initiative and Global Summer Programme, enhance graduate employability across Indonesia and Singapore.
Haryanto Adikoesoemo, president director of AKR and Chair of SMU International Advisory Council Indonesia, said: “I hope that the reinvigorated SMU Indonesia can work even closer with Indonesian academia, private and public sectors and support our talent challenges and build an even stronger future economy.”
